Here on the Central Coast, we’re blessed with several amazing concert venues, both indoor and outdoor. But there’s something magical about attending an outdoor show on a festive summer night.
One of those cool places is under-the-radar Presqu’ile Winery, just east of Orcutt in the Santa Maria Valley.
Set on a hillside overlooking the serene valley, its intimate amphitheater hosted the Original Wailers featuring original lead guitarist Al Anderson on a recent Friday night.
The famous reggae band that backed Bob Marley in his 1970s heyday played several hits from their deep anthology in a short but tight 75-minute set.
Still, many classic songs like “Get Up, Stand Up,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Waiting in Vain” were left out in favor of the tired but all too common bass and drum solo. Really?
But nobody really seemed to care as the grass dance floor was packed, wine abundantly flowed, and everyone was grooving in their own unique way.
Local faves Resination got the crowd going with a lively opening set so it quickly became clear this Santa Maria night was gonna be a good one.
It also became apparent that this elegant, modern, and family-friendly winery/vineyard amphitheater with a 600-person capacity was as much the star attraction as the legendary group and popular local band on stage.
The next show at Presqu’ile this summer features The Altons and Thee Sinseers performing on July 30 at 6 p.m. The winery is open daily except Tuesdays, specializing in food/wine pairings at their stylish, scenic facility.